(IN SHORT) IATA, CANSO and ACI have launched a Joint Runway Safety Initiative to reduce the risk of runway incursions, where an aircraft, vehicle or person is incorrectly present on a runway or protected runway area. The initiative focuses on improving safety reporting and data capture, strengthening Local Runway Safety Teams, and sharing lessons learned so effective practices can be adopted more widely across similar operating environments. The programme builds on existing safety efforts, including GAPPRI and the ICAO Global Runway Safety Action Plan. It will use tools developed by IATA, CANSO and ACI, including risk-assessment resources, runway safety checklists, ACI’s Runway Safety Team Implementation Package, IATA’s Runway Incursion Safety Risk Assessment and IOSA-related assessments. The three organisations said reducing runway incursion risk depends on coordinated action among airlines, airports, air navigation service providers, regulators and frontline personnel.
(PRESS RELEASE) GENEVA, Switzerland / MONTREAL, Canada, 2026-Jul-28 — /Travel PR News/ — The International Air Transport Association, the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation and Airports Council International have launched a joint initiative aimed at reducing the risk of runway incursions.
A runway incursion occurs when an aircraft, vehicle or person is incorrectly present on a runway or within its protected area.
Runway incursions are tracked in IATA’s Annual Safety Reports, and several recent incidents have resulted in fatalities.
The organisations said reducing this risk requires close coordination across the aviation system, including airlines, airports, air navigation service providers, regulators and frontline operational teams.
The Joint Runway Safety Initiative will focus on three main areas.
The first is improving safety reporting and data capture, including incidents, near misses, precursor events and observations from frontline personnel.
The second is strengthening Local Runway Safety Teams, which serve as the key forum for airlines, airports, air navigation service providers and other stakeholders to assess local risks and agree coordinated actions.
The third is sharing progress, experience and lessons learned so effective practices can be adopted more widely by airports and aviation organisations operating in similar environments.
Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Operations, Safety and Security, said flying remains the safest form of long-distance travel.
He said maintaining that record requires continuous improvement supported by global standards, safety data and collaboration.
Careen added that the initiative brings airlines, airports and air navigation service providers together to identify runway risks earlier and take coordinated action.
The new initiative builds on existing global aviation safety efforts.
These include the Global Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Incursions, known as GAPPRI, a collaboration involving ICAO, Eurocontrol and the Flight Safety Foundation, endorsed by IATA, ACI and CANSO.
It also supports the objectives of the ICAO Global Runway Safety Action Plan.
The Joint Runway Safety Initiative will advance these global plans through tools and programmes developed by IATA, CANSO and ACI.
These include risk-assessment resources, runway safety checklists and support for Local Runway Safety Teams.
Specific tools include ACI’s Runway Safety Team Implementation Package, developed under its APEX in Safety programme.
The initiative will also draw on the Runway Safety Checklist co-developed by ACI and CANSO, IATA’s Runway Incursion Safety Risk Assessment, the GAPPRI gap-analysis tool for airlines and assessments of airline risk evaluations and mitigations through the IOSA programme.
Andrea Sack, Senior Vice President, Global Operations at CANSO, said runway safety depends on clear communication and coordinated decisions across the airport environment.
She said strong Local Runway Safety Teams bring controllers, airports, airlines and other operational partners together to identify risks and agree practical actions.
Darryl Dowd, Vice President of Safety, Security and Operations at ACI World, said airports sit at the centre of the runway safety challenge, where every part of the aviation system converges.
He said local knowledge and sustained collaboration are what turn safety guidance into measurable reductions in risk.
Dowd added that ACI is committed to supporting its members as they put the available runway safety tools into practice.
Through the joint initiative, IATA, CANSO and ACI aim to strengthen coordination, improve reporting and support more consistent runway safety practices across the global aviation sector.
For more information, please contact:
IATA
Corporate Communications
Tel: +41 22 770 2967
Email: corpcomms@iata.org
CANSO
Media Relations
Tel: +31625183795
Email : press@canso.org
ACI
Media Relations
Tel: +1 514 373 1254
Email : mediarelations@aci.aero
About IATA
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About ACI
Airports Council International (ACI), the trade association of the world’s airports, is a federated organization comprising ACI World, ACI Africa, ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East, ACI EUROPE, ACI Latin America and the Caribbean and ACI North America. In representing the best interests of airports during key phases of policy development, ACI makes a significant contribution toward ensuring a global air transport system that is safe, secure, efficient, and environmentally sustainable. As of January 2026, ACI serves 811 members, operating over 2,200 airports in more than 160 countries worldwide.
About CANSO
CANSO – the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation – is the global voice of the air traffic management (ATM) industry and is shaping our future skies. Our members support over 90% of the world’s air traffic and include air navigation service providers, airspace users and operators, manufacturers and aviation industry suppliers. We raise the bar on global ATM performance by connecting the industry to share knowledge, expertise and innovation.
SOURCE: International Air Transport Association (IATA)
